It's no secret that Portland Trail Blazers new owner Tom Dundon has high expectations for this team to win. He made that clear as soon as his introductory press conference, when he talked about raising the standards and expectations while emphasizing accountability.
But what does that mean exactly, and perhaps most importantly, how long will this process take for a franchise that has already endured a patient rebuild? Dundon was noncommittal about what a timeline for accomplishing that vision looks like, adding that he's more aggresive than most.
“It’s really difficult in these situations to have an actual plan," Dundon said. "I think our plan is to work hard, make good decisions. Joe [Cronin] had a deal that he looked at at the trade deadline that I was aware of that would’ve been what you described as a ‘big splash,’ and if that opportunity exists, I’m probably more aggressive than most. If it doesn’t exist, then you gotta go about finding the pieces to continue to get better, and then decide if you can get good enough to win a championship or you have to take a step back. Joe and I have talked about this a lot. There’s no one way this is going to go.”
Victor Wembanyama backs the Blazers' rebuild into a corner
A major hurdle in Portland's rebuild is the league landscape, particularly the Western Conference they're stuck in. Their timeline aligns with the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, two young teams already in the Western Conference Finals. It's a rare situation where arguably the league's two best players, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, also have the best supporting casts.
If that's not scary enough, these teams will only continue to get better. Wembanyama is looking the part of a true generational talent, perhaps the most special NBA player we've seen since prime LeBron James. Even in a stacked conference, it's possible this becomes a scenario in which teams like Portland never sniff the finals for a decade straight because they run into the inevitable. Similar to when James dominated the East, resulting in eight consecutive Finals appearances.
And if it's not Wembanyama, it's in all likelihood going to be the Thunder.
Where does that leave teams like Portland? They're essentially in no-man's land, largely to no fault of their own. The Blazers even put themselves in position to win the Wembanyama sweepstakes, missing out on the franchise-altering talent by one lottery ping-pong ball.
Now, Dundon and Portland's front office have their work cut out for them. They could feel the need to add more star power, making a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo to help contain The Alien. However, after seeing Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, I'm not convinced Portland is even a Giannis-level piece away from contention.
It's a risky proposition, especially given the uncertainty of a long-term commitment. But any star a tier below Giannis certainly won't be enough to get over the Wembanyama hurdle.
Dundon did mention the possibility of taking a step back if they don't view themselves as good enough to win a championship. That's increasingly looking like the more practical route for Portland.
How much more patient can this team even be, though? Wembanyama is 22 years old. He's younger than almost the entire Blazers young core. It's not like they can push back the rebuild a few years to let the storm pass.
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